Planter guide



Feb. 10, 1942. w -w,' MGEVQY 2,272,870

PLANTER GUIDE A iiorney Patented Feb. 10, 1942 PLAN TER GUIDE William McEvoy, Neola, Iowa; Joseph McEvoy administrator of said William McEvoy, deceased Application January 28, 1941, Serial No. 376,397

1 Claim.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in planters and more particularly to apparatus especially adapted for assisting in contour planting.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means serving as a guide to the Operator of a planter to the end that in contour planting he can plant more exactly along substantially level lines following the contour of the hill or slope being planted.

Another important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character stated which will be of simple construction, yet positive acting in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the indicator.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 with a portion broken away.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen in the drawings that numeral 5 denotes the planter frame, the same having the usual wheel 6 and the seat boxes I.

In adapting this machine for contour planting, and in carrying out the present invention, an indicator or guide mechanism generally referred to by numeral 8 is employed.

This mechanism 8 consists of a vertically disposed housing 9 having a flared lower portion III, open at its bottom, and brace members II rise from the frame 5 and are secured to opposite sides of the housing 9.

At the inner side of the housing 9 are saddles I2, I2 each having a recess I3 at its upper portion for receiving a corresponding end of a horizontal shaft I4. One side of the housing 9 may be provided with a removable closure plate I5 permitting access to the interior of the housing 9.

An elongated barrel I6 has slots I! through its upper portion for receiving the intermediate portion of the shaft I4. Bridge members I8 are secured to opposite side portions of the barrel I6 and bearing screws I9 are disposed through these bridge members I8 and corresponding side portions of the barrel I5 and driven into the shaft I l, thus swingably supporting the barrel I6 on the shaft I 4.

The lower end of the barrel I5 is provided with a threaded shaft 20 for preventing displacement of a weight member or core 2|, preferably of lead, located in the barrel I6.

The upper end of the barrel I6 has a threaded cap 22 into which the lower end of a pin 23 is screwed, as suggested in Figure 3.

As is shown in Figure 4, a stub shaft 24 extends through the top of the housing 9 and projects upwardly from an arcuate-shaped guide tube 25, the lower side portion of which is slotted from one end to the other.

The pin 23 rises into this guide tube 25 through the slot 26 therein, but is prevented from passing out the opposite end of the tube by cross pins 21 traversing the end portions of the tube.

The upper end of the stub shaft 23 is equipped with a head 23 to which an indicating hand 29 is secured by a set screw 30. The top of the housing 9 can be marked off in degrees of inclination, and it can be seen that in operation, should the planter start to move up a slope, the pendulum barrel I6 in following the force of gravity will move its upper end and the pin 23, resulting in a swinging movement of the tube 25 to an extent corresponding to the extent of deviation of the pendulum barrel I6 with the result that the hand 29 is proportionately moved to a position on a scale or arrangement of indicating graduations on the top of the barrel 9.

The rear portion of the housing 9 is supported by a bracket 3| attached to a vertical post 32 at the upper end of which may be located a guide 33 for the control lever 33.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

In a planter, a swingable pendulum responsive to the force of gravity, a rotatable indicator, a vertical shaft carrying the indicator, and an elongated guide member cooperative with the pendulum whereby rotary motion is transmitted to the indicator on a horizontal plane from motion of the pendulum on a vertical plane, said guide consisting of an arcuate-shaped tube having a longitudinal slot therein, and a pin extending from the pendulum and riding in the slot.

what is WILLIAM MCEVOY. 

